Press report 29. March 2006 (1)

Through clammy forests and dusty roads

By MARTIJN KRIJT

ARNHEM - They call themselves ‘two idiots on a mountainbike’, Francesco Wessels and Fred Gras. In october they will start for both themselves and the good aim the ultimate challenge: 1500 kilometres on a tandem through Australia.


They call themselves 'two idiots on a mountainbike',
Francesco Wessels and Fred Gras. Photo: Theo Kock

Last year they climbed the Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain of Africa. The militairy men from Huissen and Zeddam walked and collected money for schools to be build. After this very heavy contest, Wessels and Gras prepared for another challenge. In october next they will step on a bike for a tough Crocodile Trophy, 1500 kilometres through the Australian wilderness. That means 13 days of hard times through clammy tropical woods, dusty deserts, temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees, and that together will take place on a mountainbike-tandem.

„Why don't we just sit on a couch at home?“ Gras asks rhetorically. „We hear that a lot. Lately somebody asked me if we will don't have regrets if it appears to be a fiasco. I think you better regret things you did, rather dan regretting things you didn't do. We are always looking for a challenge."

Gras and Wessels don't just bike for themselves. They have themselves sponsored for the good aim, each 100 metres of the tour must bring in one euro. People can buy this metres on our website, Wessels explains. The money is meant for a "minimum" of 5 new mountainbike-tandems for the Tandem Foundation. This foundation of previous paralympic Jan Mulder, supports sport for visual disableds.

Wessels looks at his website, concerning the Tandem Project. Our motto: increase, by exploring our borders, the borders of visual disableds, disappears in a yellow frame. "Yes, it gives satisfaction to let adventure for yourself and the good aim flow together."

The Crocodile Trophy is the ultimate challenge for both friends. "In the twelve years history of the Trophy 2 times earlier peoplie tried to finish the tour on a tandem; both times they stranded after 3 or 4 stages“, is what Gras tells. „A Belgian who tried before on a tandem said: you must be crazy to do this. It is heavy, there isn't a centimetre of asphalt on the circuit. Besides, you have to trust each other and co-operate with each other completely. If one of us has a rough time, the other will too. You are dependant on one another. It is the ultimate co-operation."

Next months Wessels and Gras will countdown a whole training scedule with trainer Henk Kraaijenhof. Two weeks before the contest they will leave for Australia to acclimatize and prepare for the new adventure. Because this is the way they see themselves, as adventurers. "Yes, that word will do", Wessels says. "We are constantly looking for a challenge". Gras: "Sometimes i wake up suddenly and think: when this will be done, what's next?"


Press report 29. March 2006 (2)

Down Under mountainbiking on a tandem

By Linda Beck

HUISSEN – Fred Gras from Huissen is a man who likes a sports challenge. After climbing among other things the Kilimanjaro and the Mont Blanc, running the New York and the Amsterdam marathons and the Cape Epic, a mountainbike contest in Africa, he was ready for another challenge. Along with a friend, Francesco Wessels from Zeddam, Fred will take part in the Crocodile Trophy in Australia, the worlds largest and heaviest mountainbike contest. But they add another extra challenge. They are the exclusive contestants on a mountainbike-tandem!

However they are very excited and full of confidence themselves, the people amont them are more sceptical. "The race on itself is heavy enough. But on a tandem you add an extra handicap. But this challenge i would like to take", Fred Gras says. The military met his cyclemate Francesco Wessels during the climb of the Kilimanjaro. “We both appear to like these kinds of sports. After that we participated together in the Cape Epic. That was a very nice experience. Now we do this more heavy contest together: to mountainbike on a tandem, 1500 kilometres in 13 days”.

Fred also adds a good aim to his sports achievement, the Tandem Foundation. This foundation is founded by Jan Mulder, the visually disabled tandemcyclist. He succeeded in three times gold on the Paralympics. “The Foundation wants to bring tandemsport and visual disableds together with these tandems. We defenitely think it is a good aim, but we still need sponsors.
The supplysponsor is SANTOS Innobikes B.V., which will build the tandems. We are also looking for a headsponsor and subsponsors. Other interested people are able to buy hectometres. For one euro you can buy 100 metres. In this way we try to collect 5 tandems of 2000 euro with this contest.”

In spite that october is still far ahead, Fred and Francesco are training fanatically. “Especially the first stages will be heavy, because they are on the beach, followed by 5 stages through the outbacks of Australia. It takes a lot of practice, but we can't wait to start in Australia!”

 

Translation of the article above:

S.O.W.A.T.-Team ready for Australia

The S.O.W.A.T.-Team (Sport Outdoor Winning Adventure Team) recently introduced its members who will participate in the Crocodily Trophy in Australia. Cyclists Ronny Potter and Patrick Libert from Schoten (B) will ride 1425 kilometres on a mountainbike through the Australian desert. They will get accompaniment by Danny van den Bouwhuysen from Wijnegem and Eddy Matheussen from Hoevenen. "It's an endurance race, both the physical and the mental power turn the scale. To face the heat, the distance and the hard circuit will determine the mental power", Ronny Potter says.
The team exists since the year 2000 and take part in sports events regularly. The Crocodile Trophy will succeed the 2nd time this year.